I'm a fiend for the latest dance-inspired workout (blame my ballet training and Gwyneth-like workout obsession), and jumped at the chance to attend a POUND class last week.
POUND?, you ask. Sure, you could dismiss it as a bizarre West Coast fitness thing (basically, hardcore air-drumming with weighted drumsticks), but this is a full-body, drenched-in-sweat workout. In a word,
awesome.
I joined two other editors at the Momentum Gym in Santa Monica, ready for a night of dancing and rock stars. I lean towards yupster (yupster = yuppie + hipster), but I wasn't aware of the boho-chic gym attire worn by the diehard POUND crew (Aztec prints and harem pants were the go-to look). Clad in running gear and white sneaks, we stuck out like sore thumbs in the hip crowd. But once the music started blasting, all inhibition melted away.
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With one-pound drumsticks in hand, the two founders, Kirsten Potenza and Cristina Peerenboom, led us in a 20-minute sweat fest. These chicks mix full-body cardio jamming with Pilates, isometric movements, and plyometric and isometric poses. Oh, and the entire time you're wailing on the ground and in the air with those drumsticks. Typical classes run for 45 minutes, which torches anywhere from 600-900 calories.
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Once we got the hang of coordinating drumstick movements with the rest of the squats, jumps, lunges, and lifts, we had a blast. POUND is the perfect workout for any music-lover/secret wannabe drummer. Classes are offered in 21 states (plus Canada, Mexico, and Australia), and for a monthly fee, you can stream classes online (and display your air-drummer face in the privacy of your own home). Check their
site for more info.
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